Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of copper with a 2 μm thulium fiber laser

We report the first implementation of a 2 μm thulium fiber laser in a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy system. Emission from plasma on copper samples was analyzed from 200 to 900 nm. The low ablation fluence (<100 J.cm −2 ) and 200 ns pulse duration lead to a plasma with neither continuum emission, nor air emission in the near-infrared region. ©2010 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (060.3510) Lasers, fiber; (300.6365) Spectroscopy, laser induced breakdown; (350.5400) Plasmas. References and links 1. J. Debras-Guédon, and N. Liodec, “De l'utilisation du faisceau d'un amplificateur a ondes lumineuses par émission induite de rayonnement (laser à rubis), comme source énergétique pour l'excitation des spectres d’émission des éléments,” C. R. Acad. Sci. 257, 3336 (1963). 2. B. N. Chichkov, C. Momma, S. Nolte, F. von Alvensleben, and A. Tünnermann, “Femtosecond, picosecond and nanosecond laser ablation of solids,” Appl. Phys., A Mater. Sci. Process. 63(2), 109–115 (1996). 3. M. 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